


No Ocean or Insecurities

by OuMiyuki



Series: A Tale of Two [3]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Friendship, Future, Light Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, Romance, YouRiko Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 07:53:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17199542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OuMiyuki/pseuds/OuMiyuki
Summary: You’s worried about her relationship with Riko. Riko’s worried about You out at sea. Two good friends notices and gives them the push they need – sending them tumbling further in love with each other.





	No Ocean or Insecurities

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3 of YouRiko week, darlings..! XD 
> 
> May you enjoy~

The sea breeze and the ocean’s water parting as the training ship steered north for Hokkaido was a constant whisper in the Captain-in-training ash-brunette’s ears as she stood at the side of the ship, watching the blue stretch endlessly, her expression solemn. Her thoughts far away.

You sighs; it was a beautiful sight – the clear blue skies, the shining blue waters and if she turned to face the front, she’d see land approaching. However, what, or _who_ You truly wants to see is none other than her girlfriend, far off on land, Sakurauchi Riko.

_It’s been 3 months from when I last saw Riko-chan…_

You thinks back to the last time she interacted with Riko – a relaxing night talking about You’s experience out at sea and Riko’s in college before they parted with a hug and You looking back to Riko for as long as she could before having to get to the meet up place for her next voyage to begin.

_Gosh, I miss her._

“Hey, You. We’ll be docking in an hour’s time. Miss the land yet?”

You turns part way and joined her fellow crewmate’s jolly with a chuckle; it has become sort of a running gag on board for You to be teased about not missing the land because of how much enthusiasm and focus You has when out at sea.  “Miss it like I miss my bed.”

“Ooh~ One hour, You! Just one hour to go!”

The Captain-in-training mock salutes with a grin as her crewmate heads into the ship and You turns back to the endless stretch of blue – her own ones reflecting an emotion of longing.

_One more hour to a three days break in Hokkaido before we set sail again… Too bad Riko-chan isn’t in this part of Japan…_

You lets out another sigh as she wonders how her girlfriend is doing back in Tokyo; are her classes fun? Is she eating well? Getting sufficient sleep? Still reading yuri doujins in her free time?

_… Riko-chan…_

Does she miss You like You miss her?

 

* * *

 

 

It’s free and easy when the students get back on land; the hotel is already booked so all they have to do is get their own dinner before they sleep. You decides to decline food stall hopping with her friends and takes a lone stroll through the roads of Hokkaido. The ash-brunette was a little stuck on brooding mode after all.

_Should I..? Or should I not..?_

You fiddles with her phone in hand, weighing her options of whether she should message or call Riko now that she has a signal. She only received three new messages from Riko telling You to stay safe; these three messages made You smile but she really preferred to see Riko or hear Riko…or both.

_But it’s only three days here and then I’m off signal again…_

You scratches her head roughly in frustration. She really wanted to get in contact with her girlfriend she sorely misses, but…there’s the part of her that does not want Riko to feel the _so close yet so far_ sadness from when they only get to exchange a few texts or a few hours of phone call that would lead to them missing and needing each other more. At least…that’s how You feels.

_Maybe-_

Just as You pocketed her phone, two hands enter You’s peripheral, each at one of You’s sides. Before the ash-brunette could be subjected to being groped, the self-defence trained sailor grabs the hands as an intercept. “Mari-chan…What are you doing here?”

“Aww, how did you know it was me~?” The notorious groper (among Aqours) sing-songs; still highly spirited despite being unable to cop a feel of her favourite junior’s assets.

You shakes her head with a slight smile; hearing Mari’s voice really cements the fact that she’s back on land and not out at sea. “You’re infamous for your groping habits, Mari-chan. And only you have groped me before.” You turns around to face her senior, not letting go of Mari’s hands or letting down her guard just yet. “Not gonna let that happen again though.”

“ _OH~_ Not even Riko~? That’s surprising.”

The blonde’s Cheshire grin and taunting eyebrow waggle sends You into a deep, rose-red blush so You turns her gaze away from Mari. “Well…”

“ _OH~_ ☆” Mari’s grin grows wider and her expression was nothing less than confident. “Only in bed~ --”

“Mari-chan!” You reaches out with both hands to perhaps cover the cheeky blonde’s mouth or to just stop Mari from saying any more.

Mari laughs as she retracts her hand and takes a few steps back to avoid You’s embarrassed outburst and possible lecture on public decency. “I’m just joking~ but if it’s true-”

You lunges forward to slap Mari’s arm but the blonde is unexpectedly swift on her feet so she dodges You once again with a “Woah there, tiger! How about my treat for dinner and we go to my hotel to catch up? What do you say, You~?”

You huffs through her nose and crosses her arms in a show of displease, though she found it a tad hard to not accept her senior’s offer; knowing Mari, dinner is going to be grand and the hotel room will be posher than the school provided one. The ash-brunette shakes her head at thinking of skipping a normal suite for a 5-star one.

_If Riko-chan was here too…_

You blows out a quick breath of air to not let her thoughts fall back to missing the most beautiful auburn haired pianist she knows and gives Mari a half smile. “I say _yousoro~”_

Mari wears a broad smile at You’s energetic salute and catchphrase; she’s ready to pep talk You out of the blues and being able to draw out one yousoro is half the battle won. “Great! _LET’S GO~”_

 

* * *

 

 

After a seafood platter eaten with gratitude and awe, You and Mari were now in one of the Ohara’s Grand Suite kicking back and relaxing.

“So tell me, You.”

The Captain-in-training arches an eyebrow up at Mari. “What?”

“About Riko of course. Why are you hesitating?” Mari’s tone was serious and You can’t help but wonder when her senior saw through her façade; or was she that easy to read?

_Mari-chan always seems to know…_

“There’s nothing-”

Mari claps You’s cheeks in both hands and shakes her junior’s face from side to side. “Don’t try to run from this, You.” Mari’s gaze softens when their eyes make contact; the _want_ to confide evident in the ash-brunette’s cerulean hues. “You can tell Mari-onee-san anything. Just like always.”

_Just like always… I know that, Mari-chan… I know that._

You falls out of Mari’s grasp to sit on the fluffy bed, nibbling the inside of her lips as she searched for the words to express her bottled up feelings concerning her thoughts on the future of her relationship with Riko. “You see…Mari-chan…I think Riko-chan deserves better.”

Mari sighs softly at the first thing You decides to say; it’s not a hidden fact that the ash-brunette has insecurities about relationships and certainly not surprising that holding a long distance relationship of their nature would make You The Worrywart to grow so negative. Mari gives You an encouraging nod to continue.

“Riko-chan…should have someone that isn’t miles away from her and can only see her every 2 to 6 months… Someone who can be by her side to make her happy. I…I hate being away from Riko-chan but I can’t even bring myself to call her, in fear that I might be disturbing Riko-chan… I…” You bites down harder on her bottom lip, not wanting to get overly emotional and cry in front of Mari. Not wanting to say out loud-

_I’m not worthy of Riko-chan._

Mari moves to sit beside You, the shift in weight on the bed makes You release the strength of her teeth on her bruised lip. “You’re so silly, You…”

“Eh?” You faces her senior, confused. She was expecting Mari to scold her and say something around the lines of not being negative and Riko doesn’t think that way; so she can counter with ‘You wouldn’t know’, yet…Mari simply gave You a gentle smile and spoke softly.

_Mari-chan..?_

“It’s not about how many times you can be around Riko… It’s about how much you miss her and _want_ to be with her.” The corner of Mari’s lips pulls higher when she sees that she’s got all of You’s earnest attention. “Do you miss her?”

“Of course! I miss her so much, I…” You lowers her gaze to the floor, a blush creeping up her cheeks for answering so quickly; but it’s true that she misses Riko oh so much. She’d run over to where Riko is if she could just to see her.

_I miss Riko-chan so much, I’d probably end up crying when I get to hold her again…_

Mari smiles; proud of and touched by You’s strong love for Riko. “Want to glomp her and scream at the top of your lungs that you love her _OH_ so much?” Mari helps fill in You’s incomplete sentence and possibly unsaid thoughts.

You smiles forlornly, her chest not feeling as clouded as it was before thanks to Mari’s simple and wise words. “Yeah…Something like that. But I-”

“Ah, ah. No buts, You.” Mari was quick to put a finger to You’s lips to stop the ash-brunette from delving into negative insecurities once more. “It’s not good to hold back. If you miss her, tell her you do. If you want to hug her, hug her like your life depends on it. And if you want to shout to the world how much you love her to the world…shout it.”

Mari grins at the idea of loud professions of love and winks at You. “We can do it now if you like.”

_Shouting “I love you, Riko-chan” at the top of my lungs…_

“No…I…” You shakes her head, fighting a creeping blush and feeling visibly relaxed now. Mari’s words of wisdom opening her eyes to not holding back her overflowing affections for Riko; she feels like everything is going to be okay and the final month before getting to see her girlfriend is something she can get through without actually entertaining the thoughts of jumping into a speedboat and zooming over to wherever Riko is.

“Okay. Then at least message her now. You’re in Japan time. You won’t be disturbing her in any way.” Mari waves You’s phone in front of the ash-brunette.

“Mm…” You smiles as she takes the phone into her hands, quick unlocking it and opening the chat with Riko. “I’ll do that… Thank you, Mari-chan.”

“No problem, You~” Mari stands and pats You’s head affectionately. “I’ll give you some privacy~”

You’s smile grows as she waved the blonde out the room and her excitement multiplies at the idea of contacting Riko.

 

* * *

 

  

“So there’s going to be at least five of our favourite artists there. And we have to make a plan on how to reach them fast and obtain the new releases, Riri. My plan is…”

Riko nods absentmindedly and hums a response so that it doesn’t seem like she’s not paying attention.

_I wonder where You-chan is right now…_

“What do you think, Riri…” Yoshiko trails off, pulls her cup of black coffee (with extra sugar added in) across the table to take a loud, noisy sip; all while her eyes stared her otaku comrade down with annoyance. She knew something was off with Riko the moment they said hi, but she didn’t think the auburn-haired girl would be blatantly ignoring her like such.

_Is she safe and sound? How long more was it to when I can see her again..?_

“What’s up with you, Riri?” The bluenette waves her hand in front of Riko to catch her attention.

“Ah… Nothing… nothing at all…” Riko blinks out of her constant daze.  

“You’re fooling nobody with that gloomy face of yours.” Yoshiko states pointedly, while pointing the cake spoon at Riko. “So spill.”

The second-year college student wears a conflicted look as she considered not troubling her kind junior with her own concerns for her girlfriend on uncertain waters and the nature of their relationship. But considering how she already caused the younger girl to be annoyed at her lack of focus, Riko sighs.

“Well, you see…I can’t help but worry about her well-being out at sea…” Riko crumples and unfolds, crumples and unfolds the piece of tissue paper in her hands that she could not quite remember when she took.

Yoshiko nods. “Figures it’s about You.”

_Am I that obvious..?_

Riko purses her lips before continuing. “So…to avoid the chances of an accident happening because I distracted her...”

_You know how distracting texts from your girlfriend can be. I know it first-hand._

“I just…haven’t been texting or calling her…” Riko thinks back to her pathetically short messages of asking You to stay safe, which was a far cry from the essay long thoughts, emotions, and stories she wished to tell You. Riko convinced herself that it was _for You_ , and also that she _could_ hold back until they saw each other again – in a few months.

_You-chan always responds brightly that she’s doing okay and that she wants me to be safe too… So my messages aren’t…bad…right? Short but-_

“For how long?” The bluenette frowns as she prods the black liquid with her cake spoon.

“Eh? Um…about three months-”

“THREE MONTHS!? Riri!” Yohane slams the table with both hands which made the auburn-haired girl flinch.

“Y-Yes?” Riko rips the tissue paper in half from the shock and places a hand to her heart to calm it.

Yohane stares Riko down with judgemental eyes making Riko squirm in her seat; feeling like the Fallen Angel could cast a curst of _no yuri for a week_ if the girl really wanted to. And no yuri for a week equates to no fantasizing of You for a week. Riko feels like she’ll wither up and die if she can’t even have her girlfriend running through her head while said girlfriend is away.

_Did I do something wrong..? Why is Yocchan so angry?_

“You can’t just not text or call You at all.” The Fallen Angel side subsides and Yoshiko was more apparent, though her expression was still chiding; Riko at least could tell that she isn’t being cursed.

“I-I can’t?” Riko shifts her gaze to her own untouched drink and back to Yoshiko, her expression like that of a lost lamb.

_Not that I want to…I would do face calls with You-chan if I knew when she has signal…_

“You can’t.” Yoshiko picks up Riko’s cake spoon to point at the girl. “Don’t you know that bunnies die from loneliness?”

“B-Bunnies…” The yuri-loving girl’s cheeks pinken as her eyes turned distant.

“Not what you’re thinking of Riri. Focus on the words _“death”_ and _“loneliness”_.” The first-year college student shakes her head at how hopelessly perverted her little demon is.

“Wha…What was I thinking-”

“Bunny girl You.”

“Yocchan!” Riko hunches over the table and looked over her shoulders, worried that people were looking their way and eavesdropping on their conversation; which would be worrying, because what if they started looking up who “You” is and started imagining her You in bunny girl costumes!

The bluenette was unfazed. “Don’t forget that Mari _accidentally_ looked through your “secret” You album… _R-18_ …” Yoshiko glances away from Riko as she says comments under her breath how risqué that album is.

Riko, however, couldn’t take that lying down and hissed. “It isn’t!”

“Considering the angle of those images you captured _and_ the bathroom scenes. I’m certain it’s R-18, Riri.” Yoshiko counts off her ten fingers the number of “Oohs~” and “Ahhs~” and “Wow~!” Mari shouted in delight as she flipped through the album on Riko’s phone that had a subfolder titled “Bathroom You-chan”.

“No…” Riko whimpers as she shrinks into herself; it was supposed to be for her eyes only. Doesn’t that make it not R-18?

_Why are we even talking about this!_

“And for the record, as hot as You is without clothes on, I think you of all people should not be taking pictures of You in the bath.” Yoshiko smirks at how much advice she was gracing her little demon with today.

Unfortunately, Riko’s disarrayed thoughts and emotions simply left the auburn haired girl with a blank expression of confusion. “Why not..?”

_Gazing at them in the bath helps me project You-chan in the bath with me… And it feels so good when she scrubs my back-_

“Because!” Yohane raises her voice to get the clearly starting a fantasy pianist’s attention back to her. “Other people can get their hands on it.”

“I-”

“Like Mari did.”

“I’ve-”

“And You is already yours. You seriously need not digital images of nudes.” Yoshiko huffs at how persistent and in denial Riko can be; as expected of one of her top little demons, but still.

“She’s not…entirely seen in those images…” Riko could consider photo-taking as a career option with how beautifully captured her collection of You is, even in the bath, the steam, or towel, or any other object was all well-timed in covering You so it was left to the power of imagination (Riko has an abundance of).

_I won’t take pictures of You naked without her permission…_

“If you can fill in the rest with that perverted mind of yours, others can too.”

“Uu…” Riko pokes the table sadly.

_No You-chan for months…and no You-chan album…_

“We’re going off topic.” Yoshiko takes a large sip of her black coffee extra sweet, giving the pianist time to get back on track too. “Call her, Riri. If You dies out at sea, it’s not going to be because of a shipwreck. It’s from loneliness.”

_Loneliness… Have I caused You-chan to be lonely for so many months without even knowing it..?_

“I guess you’re right…”

_I should tell You-chan how much I’ve missed her and can’t wait for the next time they get to see each other again._

“Yohane always am.” The bluenette smiles into her coffee; confident that the dark clouds stalking Riko will be gone soon enough and they can have a proper discussion about the upcoming convention another time.

Riko smiles, feeling lighter and better already. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko smiles proudly. “You owe me a new game.”

“Of course.” Riko is truly grateful for having Yoshiko as her best friend; always capable of noticing when she needs her wisdom. Now she feels a weight lifted off her shoulders too…in a sense…she’s still worried about You but at least she knows what she can do for both You and herself, to keep their long distance relationship healthy.

 

* * *

 

 

Fixing her hair nervously, You does breathing exercises for the tenth time now after Mari gave her space and time to contact Riko. However, despite being someone who’s usually on the ball and having an image of “in the moment” kind of girl, You actually takes the time to coordinate her clothing and let her grey curls not be unkempt – especially when she’s going to present herself to her girlfriend.

_Ahh, was it always this hard to take a selfie to send to Riko-chan?_

You sulks at the reflection on her phone’s screen before rolling onto her stomach and wailing into the softness of the hotel’s bed. She’s taken at least twenty unsatisfied images. You turns back around to stare at the ceiling which actually looked really nice too.

_Sheesh…Time’s ticking away, Watanabe… Don’t you want to tell Riko-chan how much you love and miss her as soon as possible?_

You sits up in a second, expression determined. “Of course I do! Ah, mou.”

_This will be the final re-take!_

The ash-brunette opens the chat with her girlfriend and sends the message. “I miss you… a lot.” Pinned with an image of herself – giving Riko a sad, lonely expression; which would put the world’s saddest and loneliest bunny picture to shame.

_There, I sent it. Now I just have to wait-_

You’s phone vibrates almost seemingly non-stop, surprising the Captain-in-training, however, she did not waste a second to swipe the phone back open and to the message application to see Riko’s spam replies.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

“I miss you, You-chan.”

“I’m lonely here without you just like you. And extra worried on a constant for you…”

“I would love if you could be with me right now”

“(but please don’t appear suddenly. Don’t skip school.)”

“I’m okay.”

“Really.”

“Just love you.”

“A lot.”

You illuminates the room with her rosy cheeks of second-hand embarrassment and how she’s glowing from the sheer amount of love radiating out of her, her grin wide and _happy_.

_Riko-chan…I miss you so, so, much too!_

Riko then sends an image of her to prove her point of being okay, though she stumbled on her nightgown in the hurry to stand and reposition herself, so her hair was a bit messy.

You chuckles at the sight of her gorgeous girlfriend (yes, flustered and messy hair Riko is gorgeous to You) and taps her phone’s screen.

“I love you, Riko-chan.”

“Even your clumsy side.”

_Seriously, you’re such a dork too._

Riko sighs on the other side of the screen; glad that You hasn’t grown distant from her, still loves her a lot and is still very much capable of making her heart skip a thousand beats via text (and a very cute picture).

“You’re clumsier.”

You smiles widely at the comeback as she leans against the bedframe.

“That’s how I fell so badly in love with you, huh?”

You stares at her phone, reading the conversation between her and Riko for the past minutes while waiting for Riko to reply again. The wait was worth it as Riko sends yet another picture – of her blushing really hard.

_So cute..!_

Then another of Riko hiding behind her pillow. Then a picture of just the pillow.

_Ah._

You laughs.

“Ouch.”

A reply to tell Riko she receives the pillow that Riko threw at her; though she was grinning like a maniac – a manically in love maiden.

“Still in love.”

Riko groans. You could tell and could hear Riko groaning; sure to be blushing beautifully too. You smiles, her own face all the way up to her ears a bright red.

“Love you too, silly.”

You falls to her side as her jaw threatens to reach impossible lengths from how largely she was smiling but she really could not help it; Riko makes her heart soar with every little thing she says. And when Riko tells You she loves her, You feels that she can take on anything in the world. For Riko.

_I’ll keep messaging you, Riko-chan…And call too. Gosh, I’ll call her now. Or well…after we aren’t blushing this hard…_

Riko calls later and they both don’t sleep until its 5am the next day.

**Author's Note:**

> **If you thought it’d be 7 YouRiko in 7 days…I’ll tell you I thought so too. =w= But a bunch of things happened so the fact is it’ll take a bit longer. OxO Gomen ne.**
> 
> **But this allows for more quality in my opinion, so I hope y’all stick around to see You and Riko’s tale to its “end”. ^w^**
> 
> **I hope y’all enjoyed this chapter which took me longer to write for obvious reasons :3**
> 
> **Leave me a comment if you like! (You and Riko will be flirting through the phone in the meantime~ ^w^)**
> 
> **P.S. The song that kept me motivated and writing this chapter is “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton ;p**


End file.
